Nata, Botswana

Written By: Jason Shafrin
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Apr•
19•06

Nata, in Botswana, is a village of 5000 people located on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Pans. Unfortunately, HIV/AIDS is having a devastating effect on the people of this small village. Botswana has the second highest HIV infection rate in Africa. The current rate of infection is 37% nationally and Nata’s rate of infection is even higher. The pandemic has left Nata with over 400 orphans.

Still, these people live half-way around the world. How can we help them? Much of foreign aid is stolen by dictators or bureaucrats. What can be done?

Fortunately, the village of Nata, Botswana has a blog (“The Nata Village blog“). Jon Rawlinson set up the site and Melody Jenkins, a U.S. peace corps volunteer, writes the posts. You can learn a great deal about the village and also donate if you so choose.

For instance, patients in Nata are not adhering to their anti-retroviral treatment at the same rate as those that live nearer to the clinic in Gweta; this is due to a lack of transportation to the nearest clinic to pick up the medicine. Also, the site has a brief biography of an inspirational villager named Reggie.